Tinker Bell
by Elsadisney
Summary: Here is the story of Tinker Bell's birth and how she ruined spring, then fixed it, and made it so tinker fairies would go to the mainland for the changing of the seasons. You will hear how she struggled with accepting her talent, and finally realized that being a tinker was who she was. You will also hear about how she returned a music box to a certain little girl...
1. Chapter 1

_Have you ever wondered how nature gets its glow? Who gives it light and color as the seasons come and go? Who helps all creatures great and small to walk, to swim, to fly? Who crafts such tiny details? You might see them if you try. For it's all the work of fairies, but they stay well out of sight. And the first time that a baby laughs, a fairy's life takes flight!_

 _When the moon comes out to shine her face the birds are fast asleep. And the lanterns hang from every post, the fairies leave their keep. They join their hands and sing their songs that nary a soul can hear. In the springtime when the earth is new to the fairies they draw near. To the fairies they draw near..._

* * *

It was nighttime, and a baby girl lay in her crib. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. She looked up at her mobile hanging over the crib. She suddenly burst out laughing. The mobile began spinning faster and faster and the window flew open. The laugh hit a dandelion and some of the seeds flew off. They floated through the air, laughing with the laugh infused in them. They floated around the town and over a bridge before going out to sea. They floated over a ship, and one hit a bell. The others all floated on, and after a moment's hesitation the one that hit the bell followed them.

It floated into the clouds. When it floated out again, it was floating over Never Land. It floated down and through a beach.

Only two dandelion fluffs had reached Never Land. The rest of them had been lost at sea.

One of the two fluffs was caught on a branch. The wind blew it in the direction of the Winter Woods.

The other floated through Pixie Hollow. It was still dark, and fairies turned on lights as they saw it float past. Flowers opened to reveal fairies inside, looking out.

Vidia, a fast-flying fairy, flew over to the fluff and guided it to the Pixie Dust Tree.

Other fairies flew up to the tree and sat down on the shelf mushrooms growing out of it to watch.

Vidia guided the fluff down to a spot in the middle of the tree. There it floated down and landed gently.

Terence, a dust-keeper fairy, flew to the fluff with a cup full of pixie dust. As the rest of the fairies sat down, he poured the cup of pixie dust onto the dandelion fluff.


	2. Chapter 2

A fairy's head rose from the dandelion fluff. The new fairy looked around uncertainly. It was a girl, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. She was wearing a dress of dandelion fluff. The other fairies leaned in, saying "hello", "hi there", and other greetings.

The fairy looked uncertain. She uttered a small "hello?", her first word.

Streams of pixie dust were coming to the tree now. Someone said "Queen Clarion!" The streams all met at once, and the queen materialized. She had brown hair, soft blue eyes, fair skin, and huge, shimmering golden wings. She was the oldest fairy, and she was very wise. She knew how to travel in streams of pure pixie dust.

The four Ministers bowed and backed away respectfully.

"Born of laughter, clothed in cheer," Queen Clarion said to the new fairy, "happiness has brought you here. Welcome to Pixie Hollow. I trust you've found your way all right."

"I… think so," the new fairy said uncertainly.

Queen Clarion gave a little laugh. "Now let's see about those wings." She flew to the back of the new fairy. She picked up the fairy's wings, running her hands to the tips. The wings shone with pixie dust.

"Ooh," fairies said, admiring the design.

Queen Clarion flew around to the front of the fairy and held out her hand. The new fairy took it and started fluttering her wings. She rose up, uncertain at first, but gained confidence as the queen twirled her around. The queen let go of the fairy's hand, and the fairy flew up, giving a laugh. She flew back down and the queen took her hand. The new fairy lowered herself to the ground, letting out a sound of happiness.

The swirl pattern in the tree filled with pixie dust and mushrooms popped up out of the tree. Queen Clarion looked at the fairies watching them, a signal for them to bring their items to the mushrooms. A water fairy brought a water droplet. A light fairy picked up a ball of light. The water fairy placed it on a mushroom, where it hovered a few centimeters above the mushroom. She looked at the new fairy and gave her a little wave before flying back to her seat.

A snowflake fairy holding a snowflake flew to the mushroom beside the one with the water droplet. She put the snowflake onto the mushroom, where it too floated a bit above the mushroom.

More fairies brought their talent items as the new fairy asked, "What – what are these things?"

"They will help you find your talent, little one," the queen responded.

The new fairy asked, "But, how will I know which one is-"

"You'll know," Queen Clarion reassured her.

The new fairy looked around, wondering which one to choose. She walked up to a flower. She looked up at the five garden fairies sitting in a large flower on the branch above the mushroom. She smiled, and the garden fairies looked at each other, hoping the new fairy was a garden fairy.

The new fairy bent down and touched a petal of the flower. But it went dark and softly fell to the mushroom. The fairy backed up, hoping she hadn't done something wrong. But the queen motioned to the other mushrooms, as if to say _don_ _'_ _t worry, there are more to choose from._

The fairy walked to the water droplet. She looked up at the five water fairies sitting on shelf mushrooms growing out of a branch above the mushroom with the water droplet. The new fairy tried to grab the water droplet, but before she could, it turned dark and sank to the mushroom. The new fairy let out a frustrated sound. She looked up at the water fairies, and they gave her a sad but comforting look.

The new fairy walked past a few mushrooms, then came to a mushroom with a tiny whirling tornado. She looked up at the three fast-flying fairies who were each sitting in a purple flower growing out of the branch above the mushroom with the tornado.

Vidia, the fast-flying fairy who had guided the fairy to the tree when she was still just a fluff, gave her an irritated look.

The new fairy touched the tornado, but it disappeared with a poof and the mushroom turned dark. She immediately drew back.

Vidia made a haughty sound and turned up her nose.

The queen looked a bit worried. So far, the new fairy had made three items go dark.

The new fairy walked past a mushroom with a hammer on it. As she passed it, though, it rose up and began to glow a bit brighter. Fairies who were whispering to each other saw it and gasped. The new fairy, sensing something was happening, stopped and turned around. The hammer rose up and floated to the new fairy.

Queen Clarion smiled. This must be the new fairy's talent.

As the hammer floated to the fairy, she reached her hands out, then pulled them back uncertainly. She reached out again after a moment and grasped the hammer firmly. As the other fairies watched, the hammer suddenly glowed brightly in a burst of light. It glowed for a while, and Queen Clarion looked surprised, for it hadn't stopped glowing. The fairy, who had her eyes squeezed shut, opened them slowly and the glow dimmed until it wasn't glowing anymore.

The fairies cheered. A water fairy said to her friends, "Wow! I've never seen one glow that much before, even for Vidia!"

Vidia looked over with a surprised look on her face.

"You know, I do believe you're right," a garden fairy said. "Little daisy-top might be a very rare talent indeed!"

Vidia made a disinterested sound and turned away.

The mushrooms disappeared and the pixie dust ran out of the swirl in the tree. The new fairy was smiling and holding her hammer.

Queen Clarion put her arm around the new fairy and said, "Come forward, tinker fairies, and welcome the newest member of your talent guild." She paused for a moment, listening for the whisper in her head that was Never Land telling her the fairy's name. "Tinker Bell," she said, saying the name Never Land had told her. Then she became streams of pixie dust again and left.


	3. Chapter 3

"Glad we had a bath today, eh, Clank?"

"Excuse us!"

"Coming through!"

Voices came through the crowd as two tinker fairies pushed their way through.

"Sorry! Make way for tinkers!"

As the two flew to Tinker Bell, she looked shocked and dropped her hammer. The tinker fairies landed in front of her and she backed away.

"Haydee-hi, haydee-ho, Miss Bell. I'm Clank!" the big fairy with black hair, brown eyes, small wings, and fair skin said.

The skinny, redhead tinker fairy with goggles said to Clank, "Splinters, Clank! Say it, don't spray it!" Then he turned to Tinker Bell. "Phineas T. Kettletree, Esquire, at your service. Pleased to make your acquaintance!" He did a little bow.

"Oh, phoo," Clank said. "He's Bobble," Clank pointed at himself, "I'm Clank!" He pointed at the other fairy.

"Clank," Bobble said, pointing Clank's finger at Clank, "Bobble," moving Clank's finger to point at Bobble.

Tinker Bell pointed at each one, making a mental note who was who.

"We're pleased as a pile of perfectly polished pots you're here," said Bobble.

"Uh," faltered Tinker Bell, "me too!"

"Come on, Miss Bell," Bobble said, "there's so much to show you!"

The sun had risen now, and Bobble took Tinker Bell's hand and the tinker fairies began flying.

"You've arrived at a most wondrous and glorious time!" Clank said.

"Really?" asked Tinker Bell. "Why?"

"Well, it's almost time for the changing of the seasons!" replied Bobble as they flew up and away from the Pixie Dust Tree. "You see, here in Pixie Hollow, there are different realms for every time of year!"

The fairies were nearing the Winter Woods. "Well, there's one up ahead!" Bobble said.

The fairies flew into the Winter Woods. Their wings began to feel strange. If they stayed for too long, their wings could break, so they had to be careful.

Tinker Bell shivered.

"Winter Woods!" Clank yelled. "It's always cold here."

"Look there!" Bobble said.

The Minister of Winter and some of the winter fairies were flying by.

"Snowflake and frost fairies returning home-" Bobble started.

"For some well-deserved rest!" Clank finished.

"Aye. They've just finished bringing winter to the world!" Bobble explained.

The trio flew out of the Winter Woods. Tinker Bell was glad. Her wings had been starting to hurt.

"It's the off-season for the autumn fairies too!" Clank boomed as they entered the Autumn Forest. "Always practicing that perfect shade of amber, eh?"

They flew past an art fairy who was painting a leaf.

"And the fairies of Summer Glade still have plenty of time to get ready!" Bobble said as they flew into Summer Glade.

Fairies were flitting about. Some were playing in the short waterfall.

"But not as much as the autumn fairies, of course, because, well..." Clank said, building onto Bobble's sentence.

"Yes, Clanky, because right now, fairies of every talent are preparing for my favorite season, springtime!" Bobble said.


	4. Chapter 4

The three tinker fairies flew through Sunflower Meadow and into Springtime Square. Tinker Bell gasped. There was a beautiful rainbow, and some light fairies pulling it across the sky!

Tinker Bell looked around in amazement as they flew. There was a garden fairy below her, herding sproutlings. "Get along, get along little sproutlings," the garden fairy said. "And dig!" The sproutlings dug into the dirt.

The tinkers flew along, and Tinker Bell noticed animal fairies painting ladybugs.

"Hello there!" one called up to the tinker fairies.

The tinker fairies waved, and then Bobble said, "Come on, Miss Bell, you've got to see where we live!"

Tinker Bell giggled as they flew over a meadow of pink flowers. They stopped. Clank giggled.

"Welcome to Tinker's Nook!" Bobble said to Tinker Bell.

"Oh… wow!" Tinker Bell gasped in amazement. She was looking at the beautiful landscape of Pixie Hollow.

Clank tilted Tinker Bell's head down to look at Tinker's Nook. Tinker fairies fluttered busily around.

"Oh." Tinker Bell said, sounding disappointed. This was much smaller than the landscape she had thought was Tinker's Nook.

Clank giggled.

"Come on, there's so much to show you!" Bobble said.

Tinker Bell followed Clank and Bobble down to Tinker's Nook. She walked under a tree root that had grown out of the ground. She looked around excitedly. This place, though smaller than she had expected, was still pretty great! She ducked under a log two fairies were carrying and looked down at a cute little mouse that was pulling a cart. She giggled. "Aw, cute!"

A fairy driving a cart followed by another fairy carrying supplies caught Tinker Bell's eye.

Bobble began to explain what they were doing."Just taking some supplies down-"

"They're taking some supplies down to the workshop," Clank cut in.

A fairy put a berry into a basket attached to a maple seed. "Let her go!" the fairy called, and the maple seed spun down to the ground.

"Watch out-" Bobble began.

"Watch out for falling maple seeds," Clank interrupted his friend.

Tinker Bell was watching in amazement. "Whoa," she sighed.

She saw another contraption with gourds on a line. "Wow!" she gasped.

As she watched, a fairy cut a gourd off the line. It fell into a blue flower. Three round objects swung into the gourd, punching holes. Two tinker fairies sawed the flower off the stem, and the gourd with the flower head fell onto a cart. It was a little house! A mouse pulled the cart away as Tinker Bell turned to look at something else.

She flew over to Clank and Bobble.

"Oh, and over here is where most of us live," Bobble said. "There's your-"

Clank cut in once again. "There's your house, Tinker Bell!"


	5. Chapter 5

Tinker Bell flew up to the house. She gasped. It was a lovely house shaped sort of like a teakettle made of twigs and partly covered with moss. The door was a pumpkin top, and there were a few windows. One window had a shell overhang. The roof was a leaf, and a chimney was poking above the roof. One stick was poking out of the house, and hanging from it was a pink flower. The house was set on a root that was sticking out of the ground, and some convenient shelf mushrooms grew from the root like stair steps.

Tinker Bell was ecstatic. "It's mine?"

"Sure is!" Clank cried.

"We were hoping the new arrival would be one of us, so we got the place all ready!" Bobble explained.

"We rounded up some work clothes," Bobble said.

"But we didn't know your size!" Clank cried.

"Our apologies," Bobble said.

"But they might be too big," continued Clank.

"Yeah, well, that's only because-" Bobble said.

"Because you're so tiny," finished Clank. He held up his fingers to show how tiny Tinker Bell was.

"That'll do, Clank," Bobble said. "Please come on down to the workshop when you're ready. Fairy Mary will want to meet you!"

"Goodbye!" Clank called, as Bobble shut the door to Tinker Bell's house.

Tinker Bell looked around her new house. It was very charming. She ran her hand across a mushroom table, then twirled around with joy. Then she flew over to her closet and pulled out a piece of clothing. She quickly took off her dandelion-fluff dress and put the green leaf clothing over her head. She lifted her arms and frowned. It was clearly much too big. Then her smile returned. She picked up a pair of clippers made from thorns and began trimming the dress. As she snipped, she blew her hair out of her face.

Meanwhile, in Tinker's Nook, Clank and Bobble were working on a cart.

"Stop! What?" Bobble cried. He leaned in to look at the axle. "A five-gauge twig for an axle?" He flew over to Clank. "Clank, I told you it took a seven!"

"No, you said five!" protested Clank.

"I said seven!" Bobble argued.

They hadn't noticed Tinker Bell fly down to them.

"Oh, Clank, I tell you, sometimes you can be pretty..." Bobble trailed off as he noticed Tinker Bell. "Pretty..."

Tinker Bell was wearing a green waist-length dress without sleeves. Her hair was up in a bun. She shrugged her shoulders and fluttered her wings.

"So pretty!" Bobble said. His goggles, which used water drops for the lenses, popped.

"Who's that then?" Clank yelled in Bobble's ear.

"It's Tinker Bell, you snail brain!" Bobble said.

"Oh!" said Clank.

Tinker Bell laughed. "Wow! Everyone seems so busy."

"Well, spring won't spring itself," Clank pointed out.

Bobble squirted another drop of water into each goggle. "Indeed, my bellowing buddy. And we tinkers are a big part of it! Allow me to elucidate, Miss Bell."

"We fiddle and fix!" Bobble said, putting the top on a leaf basket and sliding it toward Tinker Bell. She opened it just as Clank said, "We craft and create!" He hit an acorn with a hammer. The acorn cap fell onto his head, and the bottom part of the acorn shot across the room. Bobble caught it. "We carve acorn buckets!" he said. He threw the acorn bucket to Tinker Bell, who caught it.

"To hold flower paint!" Clank yelled. He handed a paintbrush to Tinker Bell.

"Weave saddles and satchels," Bobble continued. Clank had leaf satchels on his back. He said, "For birdies, you see!" The satchel fell off Clank as Bobble pushed a woven grass basket over to Tinker Bell. "Make baskets and bushels!" Bobble said. Clank popped out of the basket. "To carry the seeds!" he said. The two male tinkers handed an assortment of acorn pots to Tinker Bell.

"When preparing for spring," Bobble started,

"We do all this and more," Clank continued.

"Yes, being a tinker is never a bore!" they both cried at the same time.

Tinker Bell was covered in things. The three tinkers laughed. Tinker Bell moved some things and walked out. "That was great!"

"So you see, Miss Bell, we help fairies of every talent with our creations," Bobble explained.


	6. Chapter 6

"Unfortunately, all those fairies are out of luck this year," a sharp voice said. "Unless we can actually deliver these things to them. The wagon repairs are finished, I trust?"

Clank and Bobble quickly stepped in front of the wagon to hide the fact that it wasn't finished, stammering. "Uh, yes, Fairy Mary," Clank stuttered. "Tip top shape," added Bobble nervously. "No wheels missing," elaborated Clank. "Whatsoever."

Fairy Mary, to who the sharp voice belonged, turned with a suspicious look. "Then let's see it," she said with her hands on her hips.

Clank and Bobble began stammering again. "Uh, see… define see with your eyes… uh..." Suddenly Bobble cried, "You have to meet Tinker Bell!"

"What? Who?" Fairy Mary asked.

Clank and Bobble quickly flew to Tinker Bell's side. "She's new, Fairy Mary," Bobble explained.

Tinker Bell smiled. "Nice to meet you!"

"Ah, rapture!" exclaimed Fairy Mary. "A new charge on which we can lavish all our tinkering wisdom and expertise!" She was leaning closely into Tinker Bell's face. Tinker Bell gave an awkward smile and Fairy Mary moved back a bit. "Let's see those hands," Fairy Mary said, and took the new tinker's hands. Fairy Mary gasped. "Teetering teapots! So dainty!" She reassured Tinker Bell, "Don't worry dear, we'll build up those tinkering muscles in no time."

Tinker Bell gave a nervous laugh. "O...kay!"

Fairy Mary turned to Clank and Bobble. "Now, boys. The deliveries."

Clank and Bobble quickly flew in front of the unfinished cart to hide the fact it was missing a wheel.

"Aye, we're on it," Bobble said nervously. "As a matter a fact, we're heading out right this second."

"But we've only got one wheel-" Clank said into Bobble's ear.

Fairy Mary turned around. "What was that?"

"N-nothing, really, C-C-C-Clank was, em, just asking-" Bobble stammered.

Tinker Bell, seeing the trouble, quickly said, "If I can go – as well!"

"Yes!" the relieved tinkers exclaimed. "That's exactly what we were saying!" Relieved giggles escaped their mouths.

"Very well, get on with it then!" Fairy Mary exclaimed.

* * *

"Slow down, Cheese, I can't keep up!" hollered Clank. Bobble and Tinker Bell were riding the cart, while Clank held up the axle without a wheel, running with the cart.

"The mouse's name is… Cheese?" Tinker Bell asked.

"Must be. He always comes when you yell it!" Bobble answered.

Suddenly, something darted on the path behind them. The cart stopped. Everyone looked around, worried. Cheese, the mouse, made nervous sounds.

Tinker Bell snapped the reins and the cart started going again, though much more slowly this time.

Suddenly, something jumped out at them! They screamed as a bunch of somethings ran around them!

"Sprinting thistles!" Clank cried. The thistles scratched the cart and Clank as they raced past. The terrified mouse pulling the cart started running as fast as it could.

Meanwhile, in Springtime Square, garden fairies were busily working. Some were herding sproutlings. Others were painting flowers. All was peaceful and calm. Suddenly, flower buds snapped shut. A garden fairy who had been painting the flowers looked around, wondering what had caused the flowers to shut. He ducked for cover as the tinker fairies' cart jumped over his head and raced down the path at top speed. The cart continued at top speed down a path of pink flowers and crashed into a tree at full speed. An acorn bucket rolled away from the cart. The mouse, sitting on top of the broken cart, chattered nervously, and Tinker Bell held her head.

An animal fairy flew down in front of Cheese. "Easy, easy boy. It's alright. Fawn's got you." She had long reddish-brown hair in a braid, soft brown eyes, and fair skin.

A water fairy flew down to Tinker Bell. She had big brown eyes with purple eyeshadow, long bluish black hair, and light skin. "Easy, easy girl. It's alright. Silvermist's got you." She stroked Tinker Bell's nose, and Tinker Bell crossed her eyes to look at the finger.

A garden fairy with green eyes, red hair with a curl at the bottom, and fair skin flew down to Tinker Bell and lifted her by the armpits. "You all right, sugarcane?"

A light fairy flew next to the garden fairy. She had big brown eyes with golden eyeshadow, black hair braided into cornrows and twisted into a bun, and dark brown skin. "Be careful, Rosetta, she may faint!" She pushed Tinker Bell out of Rosetta's grasp into a sitting position.

"Elevate her legs," the light fairy said frantically, and pulled Tinker Bell's legs up. "No, wait! I mean, I mean her head!" She pulled Tinker Bell's head up. "Okay, if she's red, raise the head, if she's pale, raise the tail!" The light fairy flipped Tinker Bell's head towards the other fairies. "Does she look pale or red?"

"She looks squished," Rosetta remarked.

The light fairy was holding Tinker Bell by the cheeks, and they were squished.

"Sorry," said the light fairy, and dropped Tinker Bell's head.

"Here, let me, raindrop," Silvermist said. She took Tinker Bell's hands and helped her up. "What happened to you, anyway?"

"It was sprinting thistles!" Clank cried.

The other fairies gasped. "Those weeds are an absolute menace!" Rosetta exclaimed. "Always trampling things, poking people in the petunia!"

"Gather round, ladies," Bobble said. "We've brought some selections from the new spring line of tinker specialties!"

"All right!" crowed Fawn.

"Show us, show us!" Silvermist cried.

The light fairy asked, "What'd you bring?"

"Your rainbow tubes, Iridessa," Bobble said, handing them to her.

Iridessa gasped. "Finally! Silvermist, could you help me?"

Silvermist winked and flew into the sky. She threw a mist and it stayed there in the sky. Iridessa took a running leap and flew into the sky, following the mist and turning it to a rainbow! Tinker Bell gasped in delight as Iridessa flew through the air, creating a rainbow. She made an S shape, then grabbed the rainbow and pulled it into the tube. She quickly put the top on.

Tinker Bell flew up next to Iridessa. "Whoa! What are you going to do with that?"

"I'm going to take it to the mainland," Iridessa said.

"What's the mainland?" Tinker Bell asked.

Silvermist flew over to Tinker Bell. "It's where we're gonna go change winter to spring. The seasons change all the time there!"

Rosetta was opening flowers. "I'll get to apply my artistic sensibilities."

"Yeah!" Fawn cried. "And I'll have breakfast ready for all the little fuzzies coming out of hibernation!" She scratched Cheese's back.

Tinker Bell giggled.

Iridessa took her hand. "We just follow the second star..."

"Ride the breeze, follow the waves..." Silvermist continued.

"All the way across the sea..." Rosetta put in.

"And then, there it is," Fawn said.

"Wow," Tinker Bell breathed. "The mainland sounds… flitteriffic!"


	7. Chapter 7

All the fairies laughed and flew back to the ground.

Bobble chuckled. "Ah, yes. The glamorous lives of the nature talent fairies, eh? We'd love to stay and chat, but..."

"But we tinkers have real work to do!" Clank said, picking up the axle of the cart.

"Don't get your wings in a bunch," Fawn said lightly.

"Don't be like that," Rosetta said.

"Nice to meet you all," Tinker Bell called as the cart drove away.

"You too! Fly with you later!" Tinker Bell's new friends called back.

* * *

"Right, here we are!" Bobble said as the tinkers went back along the path. "A pretty large order of pollen pots for-"

Something zipped in front of the cart. It flew back around and created a small tornado of dust. Tinker Bell was entranced and watched it. It was a fairy! As Tinker Bell watched, the fairy guided the tornado into a flower. When she pulled it out, the tornado was full of pollen! Tinker Bell was enthralled.

"Is it okay if I just catch up with you later?" she asked Bobble.

Bobble, who was reading a leaf scroll, answered, "Oh, I suppose." He looked over at Tinker Bell, but she was already out of her seat.

"Can you find your way back?" Clank asked.

Tinker Bell, who wasn't really listening, replied, "Uh, yeah! Yeah. Sure I can." She flew farther away.

"Alright then," Bobble said, snapping the reins.

"Just be careful!" cried Clank as they rolled away.

The fairy, Vidia, was carefully lowering the pollen tornado into some pots. Tinker Bell flew over to her and said, "Hi there!" Vidia, taken by surprise, lost control of the tornado and the pollen flew everywhere.

"Sorry," said Tinker Bell. "Vidia, right?"

Vidia had a shocked look on her face. Then she sneezed. She glanced at Tinker Bell with a scowl on her face. Then she turned away and continued what she had been doing before.

But Tinker Bell didn't give up. She flew over to Vidia and said, "We didn't officially meet. I'm Tinker Bell!" She stuck out her hand.

Vidia groaned and turned around. "Oh yes," she said sarcastically. "The new girl." She twirled her finger to keep her tornado spinning.

"That's right!" Tinker Bell said over-enthusiastically. "So, what's your talent?" She leaned in.

Vidia, who had bluish gray eyes with purple eyeshadow, long, black hair with a purple tint which was tied in a ponytail with a purple feather, fair skin, and pointed wing bottoms, looked at her tornado.

"What do you think it is?" she asked somewhat sarcastically.

"Um," Tinker Bell guessed, tapping her chin, "you're a pollenizer?"

Vidia looked at her with an annoyed face, and the pollen tornado disappeared with a poof.

"Mm… pollinator!" Tinker Bell guessed. "Pollen picker? Pollen-"

Vidia told her, "I am a fast-flying fairy. A true rare talent. And this is but a small part of what I do. I make breezes in the summer, blow down leaves in the fall, my winds even brought you here, dear. Fairies of every talent depend on me."

Tinker Bell smiled. "Hey! That's just like what I do!"

Vidia was shocked. She turned around. "Excuse me?"

Tinker Bell explained enthusiastically, "I mean, tinkers help fairies of every talent too! So, we're kind of the same, you know?"

Vidia put her arm around Tinker Bell. "Sweetie, I make forces of nature. You make pots and kettles." Tinker Bell's face fell. Vidia continued, "I work up in the sky, and you work down in a ditch."

Tinker Bell was a bit insulted. "Hey!"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, sunshine," Vidia said, "being a tinker's really swell and all, but I wouldn't go around bragging about your talent. It's not like spring depends on you." She pinched Tinker Bell's cheek.

Tinker Bell was angered. "Of course it does," she retorted. "And when I go to the mainland, I'll prove just how important we are."

Vidia stopped short. "When who goes to the mainland?"

"Me, of course," Tinker Bell said. "For spring?"

Vidia smirked. "Oh, of course! You'll prove it, huh?"

"Yes I will," Tinker Bell said angrily.

"Well I for one am looking forward to that," Vidia said sarcastically. "Excuse me."

"No, excuse me," Tinker Bell retorted. She turned around and arched her back. After one last glare at Vidia, she flew away.


	8. Chapter 8

It was nearing sunset, and Tinker Bell flew through Beach Cove, annoyed. "Mine is a rare talent," she said, mimicking Vidia. "Ugh. Humph. Try to tell me tinkers don't matter. I'll show her what a rare talent really is when I-"

Then Tinker Bell gasped and turned around. She flew around until she saw what had caught her eye. It was a sparkle just by the beach. She flew down to investigate and landed on the beach. There were a bunch of items lying there! A blue jewel, a string of pearls, a coin, a screw, a spring, a safety pin, a gear, a bell, and a harmonica! She gasped in delight. She took two steps forward and her foot hit the jingle bell. She bent down to look at it and picked it up. She shook it. It jingled! She giggled and then leaned forward to look at the screw. Then she saw the spring and picked it up. She banged the screw and spring together. _Sproing!_ She twisted the spring onto the screw. Then she pushed the spring down. When she let go, it went flying! It hit the coin. Tinker Bell noticed the coin and flew over to it. She picked it up. It was shiny! The shiny silver coin had a face on it. Tinker Bell mimicked the face, then giggled. She set the coin down and put the spring on it. She picked up the screw and gear and set them on the coin too. She put the safety pin on the coin, then picked the coin up and kicked the string of pearls, which landed around her neck. She looked at the jewel. "Ooh."

She shimmied her way to the jewel and stomped on it. It flung up and she caught it on the coin. She flew upwards, struggling with the weight of the items, and went back to Tinker's Nook.

She flew over to the mushroom tables Clank and Bobble were working by and set her things on a table. Clank and Bobble oohed with interest as Tinker Bell slid a leaf chair to the table. She sat down just as Bobble picked up the jewel. "Hey Tink, what you got there?"

"Oh, hi," Tinker Bell said, taking the jewel. "I don't know, I just found them."

Clank picked up the screw and sniffed it. "Lost things!" He tried to put it in his mouth, but Tink took it. She set it on the spring. "Hmm. Lost things?"

"Aye. Stuff gets lost and washes up on Never Land from time to time," Bobble explained. "You know, from the mainland!"

"These come from the mainland?" Tinker Bell asked. "That place sounds more fascinating all the time."

Fairy Mary flew by, checking things. "Berry bushels, check. Pollen pots, check. Lost things, check." Then she turned around. "Lost things? What are you doing with that junk?"

"Oh, um," Tink responded, rolling the screw around on the coin, "well they were just, so… unusual."

"You mustn't be wasting your time with that rubbish," Fairy Mary told her, picking up the lost things. "And I won't have it cluttering up my workshop. And as for you two," she said, snatching the string of pearls from Clank, "no more dilly-dallying around. And don't forget about the queen's review tonight! Goodness! There's still so much to be done!"

Tinker Bell's wings were drooping. Fairy Mary was reaching around for the jewel. Tink rolled her eyes and slammed the table. The jewel fell onto Fairy Mary's pile of lost things she was holding. "Thank you!" Fairy Mary said before hurrying away.

Tinker Bell sat with her chin in her hands.

"Sorry about your trinkets, Miss Bell," Clank said.

"Well, we best be getting ready for the review, anyway," Bobble said downheartedly.

Tinker Bell's wings were perked up again. "What is the queen's review?" she asked.

"You see, the queen is going to review all the preparations for spring," Bobble answered.

"Yeah, it's a good time for us tinkers to show what we can do, eh?" Clank said.

"Oh, indeed!" Bobble put in.

Tinker Bell had brightened up. "Really..."

"Like me, I can be a wheel!" Clank said happily as the two walked out.

"Hmm..." Tink put her hands together. "Perfect! That's my chance!" She walked away from the table.


	9. Chapter 9

Tinker Bell pulled a basket filled with inventions over to the table. A few fell out. Then, she flew over and grabbed a leaf bowl with sand in it. She swiped a hand drill and pulled on a spiderweb thread. It was attached to a green spider. It popped off and Tinker Bell flew back to her worktable.

She worked and worked as more and more tinkers went home. Soon she was the only fairy left in the workshop. It was well after dark, but she kept working.

* * *

In Springtime Square, fairies were going back and forth, finishing preparations. An animal fairy painting ladybugs said, "Okay, turn around!" The ladybugs turned around, and the fairy said, "Okay, ready for the base coat over here." Two more animal fairies flew over to the ladybugs and began painting the other sides.

Fairies were putting butterflies in cocoons on lily pads as Clank and Bobble walked past, carrying a stick.

The Minister of Spring was standing there happily. "Ah, splendid, splendid!" He pointed and said, "Ooh, stack those neatly, plenty of time before the queen arrives."

Someone shouted, "Ah! It's the queen!"

The Minister of Spring panicked. "She's here? Now? Play, music fairies!" He clapped his hands. "Play!" The storytelling fairies began playing their music.

All the fairies who were milling about flew to position and stood up straight.

The other three Ministers flew into Springtime Square. Queen Clarion, who had been traveling in pixie dust streams, materialized. As she flew forward, the Minister of Spring said, "Queen Clarion, your Illustriousness! As Minister of Spring, I welcome you to Springtime Square."

"What, no fireworks, Minister?" joked Queen Clarion.

"Oh, well, ah, that could be arranged," said the Minister of Spring frantically. "Ah, light fairies, light fairies," he said, clapping his hands.

Queen Clarion put a hand on his shoulder and laughed, "I'm teasing! You always make such a fuss, and everything always turns out wonderfully."

The Minister of Spring laughed, "I think you'll find we have things well in hand."

They were flying toward the Everblossom. "When the Everblossom blooms, we'll be ready to bring spring to the mainland," said the Minister of Spring.

"Music to my ears," Queen Clarion said. She turned to the fairies lined up. "I know you've all put in months of practice and preparation. But keep up the good work these last few days. Because just as fairies-"

"Queen Clarion!" called a voice. It was Tinker Bell.

The storytelling fairies' music stopped abruptly. Vidia, who was sitting on a shelf mushroom, leaned forward.

"Queen Clarion!" Tinker Bell cried as she walked forward, a cart beside her. "Did I miss anything?"

"No, no, no," the Minister of Spring said, motioning for her to stop.

"Whew! Good," Tink said, assuming the Minister of Spring was answering her question.

The Minister of Spring was about to say something to Tink, but the queen stopped him. "It's alright."

"I came up with some fantastic things for tinkers to use when we go to the mainland!" Tink said.

Vidia was perched on the edge of her seat, listening.

Clank and Bobble looked at each other in surprise. The Ministers of Summer, Autumn, and Winter exchanged a worried look. The fairies whispered among themselves. Had no one told this new fairy..?

"Let me show you," Tinker Bell said, oblivious that she had said something wrong. The queen looked at her with a pitying glance, but she was slightly intrigued.

Tink pulled a contraption made from sticks and two rocks out of the cart. "First, baby chipmunks can't eat the whole nut, right? Their little teeth can't chew big bites! So." Tink put the nut in the contraption. "You just crank back this lever and its-"

The nut flew out of the contraption straight towards the animal fairies. They instinctively moved out of its way and the nut hit a squirrel right in the forehead! It stood in shock for a moment, then walked away whimpering. The animal fairies turned to look at Tinker Bell. She laughed nervously. "Whoops! It's kind of a work in progress."

"Yes, yes, yes, very clever," the Minister of Spring said, uninterested. He snapped his fingers and the storytelling fairies began playing their music again.

"Oh! And I made this too," Tink said, not giving up. It was a contraption with an acorn cap and what looked to be dandelion stems for tubes. "It's a flower sprayer!"

"Tinker Bell, I-" the queen began.

"Here, allow me to demonstrate," Tink interrupted. She pulled something, and the contraption shot purple paint everywhere. It knocked Tink backwards.

The Minister of Spring was covered in purple paint. It was all over his face, clothes, and wings. He was very not pleased. He glared at the storytelling fairies, who were still playing their music, and they stopped.

Tinker Bell stood up, an embarrassed look on her face. She hid the flower sprayer behind her back and laughed nervously. "Sorry. But wait till you see this last one."

"Tinker Bell, sweetheart," the queen said. Tink looked up. "Has no one explained?"

"E-explained what?" Tinker Bell asked, confused.

"Tinker fairies don't go to the mainland, dear," Queen Clarion explained.

"What?" Tinker Bell asked in barely more than a whisper.

"All of those things are done by the nature talent fairies. Your work is here, in Pixie Hollow," Queen Clarion said.

Tink's shoulders fell and her face was sad. "But, but I thought that-"

"I'm sorry, Tinker Bell," Queen Clarion said firmly but comfortingly.

Tinker Bell was clearly sad, but she said in a cheery voice, "Oh! Okay, no! No, that's… good! I-I mean, I really couldn't make it – anyway." Her face was sad again.

Rosetta, Iridessa, Silvermist, and Fawn looked at her sadly. Vidia, on the other hand, lay on her stomach propping her head up with her hands with a smirk.

"So… good! Yeah, this… actually works out – good. I mean, well, so, I-I-I'm just gonna… yeah." Tink walked away dejectedly.


	10. Chapter 10

Tinker Bell was in the workshop, feeling sad. She pushed her nut crusher onto the table and sat down with a sigh, drooping her wings. She began to cry softly.

Fairy Mary flitted around, carrying a basket. She flew over to Tink's side when she saw her. "Back so soon?"

"You didn't go?" Tink asked halfheartedly.

"Oh, goodness, no. Far too much work to do down here."

Tink, with drooping wings, lifted her head off the table and rested it in one hand, tapping her fingers on the table. Fairy Mary fluttered past busily.

"Vidia was right," Tink said sadly. "Being a tinker stinks."

Fairy Mary looked over. "Excuse me?"

"It's just," Tink said, "Why don't we get to go to the mainland?"

"The mainland?" Fairy Mary echoed. "Who gives a pile of pebbles about the mainland?"

"But, Fairy Mary, the other fairies get to go," protested Tink.

"Tinker Bell," Fairy Mary replied. "Are you a garden fairy?"

"Well, no..." Tink said.

"Are you a light fairy?" continued Fairy Mary.

"No," answered Tink.

"Animal fairy?" Fairy Mary persisted. "Water fairy, perhaps."

"No, and no," Tink said.

"No, you're not," Fairy Mary said. She lifted Tinker Bell's chin. "You are a tinker. It's who you are! Be proud of it!" Fairy Mary fluttered up and laughed. "The day you can magically make the flowers grow, or catch the rays of the sun or whatnot, then you can go. Until then, your work is here!" She flew out of the workshop.

Tinker Bell's wings were drooping. She turned around and sighed. Then she flopped her head down onto the table. She turned her head to the side and looked around the room, then looked up at her failed inventions. She looked down, then suddenly a thought sprang to her mind. She sat up. "Good idea, Fairy Mary," she said to herself, and flew up, down, and out of the workshop.

* * *

It was the next morning, and fairies were fluttering around the Pixie Dust Tree. At the pixie dust well, Terence was handing out pixie dust. Silvermist, Rosetta, Iridessa, and Fawn were in a line.

"Here you go, Silvermist," Terence said, pouring a cup of pixie dust onto her head.

"Thank you, Terence," Silvermist replied. She held her breath as Terence poured the cup. "Oh, I hope Tinker Bell is okay."

"I know, that poor little sapling," Rosetta said as she moved forward in line. She took a brush and dipped it into the cup of pixie dust, applying the pixie dust to her face as if it were makeup. "She looked pretty wilted yesterday." She flew out of line without getting her cup of pixie dust.

"Well, I wouldn't blame her if she stayed in bed all day," Iridessa said as Terence was about to pour a cup of pixie dust on her head. Suddenly, Tink zipped past, making Terence drop the cup of pixie dust.

"Morning, girls!" Tink said cheerfully.

"Tinker Bell?" her friends cried.

"Guess what!" Tink cried. "I've decided I'm not gonna be a tinker fairy anymore!"

"What?!" all four fairies shouted at the same time.

"Well, I was thinking. Why do I have to be a tinker?" Tinker Bell asked. "Just cause some silly hammer glowed? I mean, who's to say it wasn't some big mistake? Maybe I can just switch my talent!"

"Switch your talent?" Rosetta said. "I don't know, Tinker Bell."

"If you could teach me your talents, any of them, maybe I can show the queen I can work with nature too!" A bug landed on Tinker Bell's arm and she slapped it. She flicked it off, and Rosetta looked at her with a worried look while Fawn looked horrified. The dazed bug flew past the four fairies, whose eyes followed it.

"And then she'd let me go to the mainland for spring!" finished Tink.

"Oh, Tinker Bell. That's just not how it works!" Rosetta said.

"Well, maybe she could," Fawn wondered.

"She's right! She could!" Silvermist agreed.

"Well, I've never heard of someone switching talents before," Iridessa said dubiously.

"She's right! Me neither!" agreed Silvermist.

"Look, you all do things that are beautiful and, and magical and, and important!" Tink replied. "But, me..." she sighed. "Well, there's gotta be more to my life than just pots and kettles. All I'm asking is that you give me a chance."

Her friends looked at each other for a minute. Then Silvermist spoke up. "I'll help you, Tinker Bell." She walked over and took Tinker Bell's hands.

"Thank you, Sil," Tink said.

"Me too! Could be fun!" Fawn added as she walked to Tink's side.

"Well, first time for everything I guess," Rosetta said as she walked over to join the others. "What harm can come from trying?"

"Well, I still think this is a bad idea," Iridessa said.


	11. Chapter 11

Tinker Bell and her four friends flew through Lilypad Pond.

"So, for your first day of water fairy training, I could show you how to make ripples on the pond!" Silvermist said.

"Okay!" Tink said enthusiastically.

"O-o-or, I could teach you how to talk to the babbling brook," Sil added.

"Oh, that sounds fun too!" Tink agreed.

"O-o-o-o-or wait, wait, wait, I got it, I got it!" Sil exclaimed. She flew upwards in a spiral. "Dewdrops on spiderwebs!" She held her hands out to show Tink a spiderweb where water fairies were placing dewdrops.

Tink was beaming.

"Come on. I'll show you how to do it!" Sil said, taking Tink by the arm and pulling her to a lilypad.

"Good luck, Tink!" Fawn called.

"You can do it!" Rosetta cried.

They both looked at Iridessa.

"Oh! Um, go… get em!" she called.

Silvermist and Tink landed on a lilypad and bent down on their knees.

"Just cup your hands like this," explained Sil, showing her how to do it. "Reach in to the water… and..." Silvermist pulled out a water drop. Tink's face lit up.

Sil stood up and walked to the edge of the lilypad. "Okay. You've heard of a dewdrop? This is a don't drop." She flew back over to Tink. "That's water fairy humor."

Tink paused. "It's good," she said. Silvermist winked at her.

"Come on!" Sil said as she flew upwards with Tink following. They arrived at the spiderweb.

"Okay Tink, so this next part can be a little tricky. It takes a very steady, delicate hand to..." Sil explained. She made a line of dewdrops. "Ah." She looked at Tinker Bell. "Um, where's your dewdrop?"

Tink looked at her hands. "Oh," she laughed. "Forgot my dewdrop!" She flew back to the lilypad. She bent down and put her hands into the water. She pulled out a dewdrop with a concentrated look on her face. "Hey! I did-"

The dewdrop popped and fell through Tink's fingers.

"-it."

"Shake that one off. Shake it off!" Silvermist said. "You can do this!"

Tink tried again. She picked up a dewdrop and began to fly towards the spiderweb.

"That's it. That's it, Tink, you're doing it!" cheered Fawn. "You're-"

The dewdrop popped and slid through Tinker Bell's fingers. Tink groaned and flew back to the lilypad.

"Now, Tink, try to-" Silvermist started. Tink was trying and trying. "No, no, sweetie, you need to-" Another splash. "Maybe if you-" Another failed attempt.

"Well, you have to admire her persistence," Iridessa pointed out.

"Tinker Bell-" Sil said.

"Although, sometimes hammers glow-" Iridessa said. _Splash._ "For a reason," finished Iridessa.

Silvermist was trying to help, but Tink failed again and let out a frustrated cry. She grabbed another, and it began wobbling, about to break. Tink quickly threw it.

"Whoa..." the four fairies said as it sailed over their heads. It landed in the spiderweb and pulled it back. All the other dewdrops were pulled into the drop Tink had thrown. The spiderweb catapulted the giant drop back and it landed right on the lilypad Tink's friends were standing on. Tink ducked as it hit the lilypad with full force.

Sil, Rosetta, Iridessa, and Fawn were soaked.

"You know," Silvermist said, "you always struck me as a light fairy kind of gal."

Iridessa let out an anguished sound as she realized her turn to teach Tink would be next.


	12. Chapter 12

Clank and Bobble were in the workshop. Clank put cotton in his ears and whacked an acorn. A mound of acorn caps on Tinker Bell's table shifted.

Bobble had his head inside a basket. Clank hit another acorn and one of the acorn caps fell off the mound, whizzing past Bobble. Bobble took his head out of the basket and looked over at the pile. He called to Clank, "Have you seen Tink?"

"No, thank you! Not thirsty!" Clank called back as he hit another acorn.

"No, no. Not drink. Tink!" called Bobble.

"Pink?" Clank asked. He hit another acorn. "I like purple myself."

"Tink!" yelled Bobble, slamming his hand on his table. "Have you seen Tink?"

"What?" Clank asked. He held up his arm and sniffed. "I do not stink! Maybe it's you, eh?" He looked around and pulled out the cotton in his ears. "Hey, have you seen Tink?"

Bobble's wings drooped in exasperation and he slumped his head onto the table.

Clank walked over to Tinker Bell's table. "Ooh, Fairy Mary's gonna be cross!"

"Aye, Clank." Bobble said. "We'd better take some of this off Miss Bell's plate." He took an acorn cap off the top.

Clank pulled one right out from the bottom. Bobble screamed, "No, no, no, wait wait, CLANK!" The pile of acorns fell right onto Clank. Now there were acorns on the floor and on Clank's and Bobble's tables.

Just then, Fairy Mary flew by. "What are-" She looked at Fairy Mary. "Would you two stop mucking about!"

Bobble and Clank started shouting at each other.

"I see Tinker Bell has got her work done mysteriously," Fairy Mary remarked. "Where is she, anyway?"

"Um, well, you see," they stammered.

"She went with Cheese to-" Clank said. Just then, Cheese looked at them.

Fairy Mary crossed her arms.

"No, what Clank means is she went to _get_ Cheese," stammered Bobble.

Fairy Mary looked unconvinced. She pointed two fingers at her eyes, then at Clank and Bobble. She them fluttered away.

Clank and Bobble let out a sigh.


	13. Chapter 13

It was sunset in Sunflower Meadow, and light fairies were moving beams of light around. Iridessa and her friends flew through the meadow.

"Okay. What can I teach you," Iridessa thought out loud, "that's gonna do the least amount of damage?"

Her face lit up. It was almost the end of the sunset. "Oh, I know! Follow me, Tinker Bell."

She flew upwards, and Tink followed. The three other fairies crossed their fingers.

"Oh, the last light of day!" Iridessa said. "It's the richest kind of all." They flew up a bit farther and Iridessa said, "Wait for it… wait for it..." The sun was sinking quickly. "Okay, and now." Iridessa grabbed a ball of the last light of day.

"Whoa… wow," breathed Tinker Bell. She stuck her leaf bucket up to the light, but she didn't get anything in it. She looked at it with a confused face.

Iridessa put the ball of light into the bucket.

"It's incredible!" cried Tink.

"Now for the fun part," Iridessa bubbled.

The other three fairies were sitting on a sunflower.

"Do you think it's heavy?" asked Fawn.

"No," responded Rosetta. "It's light."

After a moment Fawn said, "Ha, ha, ha." Rosetta snickered.

Iridessa and Tink flew over to a sunflower where lightning bugs were hiding. Iridessa whistled, and a bunch of firefly eyes popped open. They all flew out from under the flowers and looked at the bucket of light excitedly.

"Okay, okay!" Iridessa said. She pulled a little light out of the bucket and tossed it into the air. It landed on one firefly. Smaller balls of light fell down from the first firefly, and the other fireflies flew around to catch them.

The rest of the fireflies who hadn't caught light looked at Tink and her bucket. They stuck their tongues out like puppies.

Tinker Bell reached into the bucket and pulled her hand out to throw some light. The fireflies flew to the spot, but no light came down. They flew back to Tink.

"Hmm," said Tink, looking into the bucket. She dug around for a bit, then tried again. The fireflies flew out, but again no light came out.

Tinker Bell tried again. She pulled out her hand. No light. She tried again and again. Still no light. The fireflies were looking worried. The fireflies began to fly away, but Tink said, "Stay!"

"Here," Iridessa said. "Tink, let me-"

"No!" Tinker Bell said, pulling the light away. "I almost got it!"

The fireflies flew out of the way nervously.

"If I just get you started-" Iridessa said.

"Ugh! This is impossible!" Tink yelled. She tossed the bucket to the ground. Three balls of light shot out. Iridessa and Tink ducked.

The lightning bugs flew after the light. It hit a leaf and bounced off. "Look out!" shouted Iridessa, as they moved out of the way. The ball of light shot past. The lightning bugs flew after the light. The light bounced off a sunflower, and flew right onto Tinker Bell's bottom. She shrieked and looked back. "Oh no," she said as she realized it was stuck.

The fireflies grinned and chased Tink around the sky.

Silvermist asked Rosetta and Fawn, "I wonder how it's going?"

Tinker Bell flew past with the lightning bugs hot on her tail.

"Fly, Tink, fly!" called Iridessa.

"Uh-oh," the three said, and flew up. "We'll save you, Tink!" Fawn cried. "Bob and weave, bob and weave!" called Sil. "Cover your tushy!" Rosetta shouted.


	14. Chapter 14

The sun slowly rose on Tinker's Nook the next morning. Lights turned on in each house.

Clank, Bobble, and Tinker Bell were in the workshop. "We fiddle and fix, we craft and create," hummed Clank and Bobble, "carve acorn buckets to hold flower paint. Preparing for spring we do all this and more, yes, being a tinker is never a bore!" They said loudly, "Yes, being a tinker is never a bore!" again. Then they laughed.

Tink made a kettle with a bored look on her face. Her wings were drooping. She rolled her eyes at Clank and Bobble.

"Tinker Bell, I'd like a word with you," said Fairy Mary's voice.

Tink's wings perked up. "Fairy Mary!" she said. She quickly looked down at her bottom, which was still glowing faintly. She tried to wipe it away, then said, "See, I was on my deliveries, and, uh," she laughed nervously, "it's actually kind of a-"

"Save it," Fairy Mary said. "I know what you've been up to, missy."

Tinker Bell stopped short.

"And I had such high hopes for you," Fairy Mary said sadly. She flew away with a sad look on her face.

Tink looked at her feet. Clank and Bobble, who had been watching, quickly turned back to their work and whistled. She sat down with a groan and her wings drooped.

"You'd do well to listen to her-" Bobble said.

"Why? So I can do this my whole life?" retorted Tink. "I don't want to be just a – a stupid tinker!"

Clank and Bobble looked at her, saddened. Bobble's wings drooped and he and Clank turned back to their work sadly.

"No! No," Tink said, her hands over her mouth. "Not-not that you guys are… I-I didn't mean it. Guys, I-I wasn't..." She sighed and her wings drooped. "I have to go."

* * *

Scout fairies flew up to their pinecone lookout posts. They picked up binoculars and began scouting.

Fawn was helping baby birds fly. "Now flap them," she said. "Flap them…" The bird was flying. "That's it! Have fun!"

The bird flew away.

Tinker Bell flew into Pine Tree Grove. She took a deep breath and let it out. Then she flew over to Fawn.

Fawn waved. "Hey Tink! You ready?"

"A little nervous, actually," Tink confided.

"Oh, don't be silly. Come on!" Fawn said cheerfully. "You'll be fine. We're teaching baby birds how to fly!"

The bird sitting on the edge of the nest tweeted cheerily.

"First, you have to get their attention," Fawn explained. "Smile, and establish trust!" She giggled as the bird rubbed its head on her hand. "See?"

Tinker Bell gave a big smile.

Fawn turned to the bird. "Okay. Open your wings, honey, and flap them." Fawn flapped her arms up and down to show the bird how to do it. "Up and down, up and down..." The bird flapped its wings. "That's the way, faster, faster..." Fawn clapped her hands to show encouragement, and Tink clapped her hands too. Tinker Bell giggled.

"That's right! Yes, you're doing it!" encouraged Fawn. "Okay, come out this way a little bit." The bird flew a few inches away from the nest, but then it looked down, got scared, and began to fall. Fawn dove after it, and it began flying again. "You're okay, you're okay, you got it!" The bird flew farther away. "Keep flapping, keep flapping!" called Fawn. She turned to Tink. "Hey, why don't you help that last little one?" Fawn flew after the baby bird.

Tinker Bell turned to the nest. The last little one was scrawny and looked terrified. Tinker Bell made a sound. "Okay, okay. Just smile… and… establish trust," she said to herself.

Tinker Bell put her head into the nest and yelled, "Hi there!"

The bird pressed itself to the back of the nest with a squawk of terror.

"Hey, little fella," Tink said, leaning in closer. "You wanna do some flap flap today?" Her face was really close to the bird now.

The bird wasn't sure what the fairy was saying, but it shook its head.

"Oh, sure you do," Tink said. "Uh, all you do, is you just… um, you just flap your wings, like this!" Tink turned around and demonstrated.

The bird had taken the time that Tink wasn't looking to try to get back into an egg. Tink looked back to see the bird frantically trying to piece the broken eggshells back together around it.

"No, no, no, no, no, none of that," Tink said, flying towards the bird. "Come-come on. All we gotta do is-" She took a piece of the eggshell from the bird, and it pecked her. "Ow! Ooh!" She put her hurting hand to her mouth.

"Look. I'm gonna level with you, okay? I kind of bombed out on the whole water and light fairy things, and I'm starting to run out of options here! If you could see fit to flap your little wings and take flight for a few measly seconds, I might be able to go to the mainland and bring happiness to the world!" yelled Tink. The little bird was looking at her with scared eyes now. "What do you say?"

The little bird hid behind an eggshell.

"Wrong answer!" Tink said. She stepped towards the bird. It stepped back. She advanced toward it. "If I end up making acorn kettles for the rest of my life, I am holding you personally responsible!" She dove toward the bird. "OW!"

A scout had noticed. "Hey, look at this!" he said to another scout.

Tink was holding onto the bird's foot and trying not to let go as the bird flapped around the nest, trying to get away. She was yelling at the bird. The scouts watching were laughing. Tink let go of the bird after it had pulled on her face, and it quickly tried to piece together the broken egg.

Tink groaned. "This is not working!" Then she looked up and saw a big bird circling overhead. "Hey, maybe that guy can help!" she said. "He's a really good flyer!" She flew up out of the nest.

A scout gasped.

"Hey up there!" yelled Tink. She flew up higher as the bird made a piercing shriek. A scout gasped. "Hawk!" the scout yelled.

Tink slowed down as the hawk dove for her. A scout blew a conch shell, the hawk warning. Fairies everywhere dove for cover. Tink frantically tried to turn around as the hawk dove for her.

A fairy pulled up a chunk of ground covering a hideout. "Quick, hide!" cried the fairy as fairies flew in. Then that fairy flew in and the ground fell back down.

Vidia was in a tree. She gasped and ran backwards.

The hawk was hot on Tinker Bell's tail. Another fairy saw and yelled, "A hawk! Tinker Bell's in trouble!"

Tink was flying as fast as she could. She swerved under a log and saw a tree she could hide in. She flew into the hole, and the hawk hit its head on the tree. A split second later and Tink would have been that hawk's meal. The hawk bashed its head against the tree, trying to get to Tinker Bell. Tink fell back.

"Hey!" cried a voice.

"Vidia!" Tink exclaimed.

"This is my hiding spot!" Vidia said angrily as the hawk kept bashing the tree. It broke the wood, and the fairies screamed and wrapped their arms around each other. Vidia said, "Well, it's all yours now!" and tried to escape. She slid down a hollow part to the part of the tree the hawk was standing on. She blocked herself from falling out, but Tinker Bell had fallen down too and knocked Vidia out.

The hawk took notice of Vidia. It screeched in her face, and then something hit it in the head. A fairy had thrown something at the hawk. "Get it!"

Garden fairies threw nuts and berries at the hawk. It covered itself with its wings, then flew off with a shriek.

Fairies looked out of their hiding place. A cluster of fairies gathered around Vidia. Tink walked out of her hiding place.

Vidia's face was berry-stained, and she had another berry in her mouth. She spit it out, and the other fairies couldn't help but laugh. She looked ridiculous! "Are you okay, Vidia?" one fairy asked.

"Oh," Tink said.

Vidia glared at her as she walked forward.

"Let me help you," Tink said.

"Don't touch me, I'm fine!" yelled Vidia.

"But I-I was only trying to help-" Tink started.

Vidia stood up. "Well stop trying," she said in Tink's face. Then she flew away angrily.

Tink frowned. Her friends walked up behind her.

"Tinker Bell," Silvermist said.

Tink made an exasperated sound. "I can't hold water, I can't hold light, birds hate me, I'm just so-so useless!" She flew away.

"Tink-" Fawn said. But the tinker fairy had already flown away.


	15. Chapter 15

The sun was beginning to set on Beach Cove, and Tink sat under a leaf growing from the ground.

"Great. I failed for the third time in a row," she said to herself, sighing. "At this rate, I should get to the mainland right about… oh, never!" She threw a pebble. It hit something, and Tink heard a clang. Her ears perked up and she walked around, looking under leaves to locate where the sound came from. She pushed two pieces of grass aside and saw it. It looked like a circular box. A few gears were laying around it. She opened the lid and looked inside. It had some leaves and a snail inside. There were also metal parts attached to the inside.

"Hmm," Tink said softly, and closed the lid. She picked up a cylinder-shaped metal piece with bumps around it. She grabbed a twig and turned back to the box. She propped the box open with the stick and put her finger on her chin. "Hmm." She spotted a metal piece that looked sort of like a comb with three holes in the top. She picked it up and looked at it curiously. She looked through the holes, then flew into the box. She moved the snail over and set to work. She set the comb-like thing where the holes fit right into place. She touched two metal parts that were sticking up, wondering what went in them. "Yes," she whispered, and flew out of the box. She flew back in quickly with the cylinder and put it on the metal parts.

Tinker Bell's friends flew over and silently stopped to watch. They peeked out from behind a few leaves. Silvermist flew a little too far out, and Rosetta pulled her down. "Sil!" she whispered. "Hey!" whispered Sil back.

Tink spun a screw into place. She put a gear on the cylinder and another gear next to it. She turned it and looked over in surprise as she heard a musical sound. She turned it again.

The box was a music box! Tink closed the lid. All it was missing now was a figurine to dance on top. She put her finger in the hole where the figurine was supposed to be.

Tink looked around for it. Then she saw a dowel attached to something. She pulled it out, and then she gasped. Her friends, hiding behind a leaf, gasped too. Rosetta shushed them. The dowel was attached to a ballerina figurine! It was quite dirty and had a blue painted tutu. About the height of a fairy, it had painted on lips, eyebrows, and closed eyes. Its eyelids were pink, and it had painted brown hair. It had a tiny gold crown on the top of its head.

Tinker Bell stood it up. "Beautiful," she breathed. She carried it to the music box and pushed it into the hole. She smiled and took the ballerina's hand. As the sun sank lower, she spun around with the ballerina figurine, and the music box played a beautiful melody. She smiled, then heard some voices.

"You fixed it!" came Fawn's voice.

"Wow!" she heard Silvermist say.

"Beautiful!" That was Iridessa.

"Amazing!" she heard Rosetta say.

Tink turned around. "What are you guys doing here?" She flew down from the music box.

"It might be the sparkliest thing I've ever seen!" Iridessa said. "And I've seen a lot of sparkly things!"The fairies crowded around to admire the music box.

"It's a really pretty -" Silvermist said, trying to think of a word for it, "thingie. What is it?"

"I don't know," Tink responded. "I just found it."

"Tinker Bell, don't you even realize what you're doing?" Rosetta asked. "You're tinkering!"

"What?" Tink asked. "No. No, this isn't- I-I was just-"

"Oh, creating those gadgets, figuring things out, fixing stuff like this," Rosetta said. "That's what tinkering is, sweetie."

"Don't you like doing this?" Iridessa asked. "Isn't it what you really love?"

"Yeah! Who cares about going to the mainland, anyway?" put in Silvermist.

"Well, I do!" Tink said. "Remember? I wanna see where these things come from!" She walked forward, then looked back. "Why are you saying this? Are you just giving up on me?" She turned to Rosetta. "I mean, aren't you gonna teach me how to be a garden fairy anymore?"

Rosetta looked down, then up at Tink. "Oh, sweet pea, I think this is your talent."

Tinker Bell looked down sadly.

"Tink, we just want you to be happy," Sil said.

"If you really want me to be happy, you'll help me get to the mainland, like you promised!" Tink said with a hurt look. She turned her back and stomped her foot.

"Please, Tinker Bell, just," Fawn pleaded, "just think about it."

Tink, with her back turned, crossed her arms. Her friends looked at each other sadly. Then they each flew away. The last one to go was Silvermist.

Tink stood with her arms crossed. She looked back at the music box with a betrayed look, then up at the Second Star. She put her head down, wings drooping, all alone.


	16. Chapter 16

It was the beginning of the night, and Tink knocked on the door of a sour plum tree. The door opened and Vidia looked out.

"Will you teach me how to be a fast-flying fairy?" Tink said hurriedly and gave a pleading smile.

Vidia's face darkened and she slammed the door.

"Please? I know I could do it," Tinker Bell's voice came from outside the door. Vidia groaned. "With your help, I could be flying as fast as you in no time!" Tink persisted. Vidia stopped short. She made a very angry noise and walked to the door. She was about to turn the handle when she heard Tink say, "Vidia, you're my last hope. All my friends have given up on me." Vidia's face changed and she put her ear to the door. "Rosetta won't even try to teach me to be a garden fairy now," Tink continued. Vidia's eyes widened.

Tink had her head against the door, wings drooping. "I bet I could at least paint some flowers, or plant some sproutlings. I mean, there must be something I could do."

The handle turned and the door opened. Vidia stood there with one hand on her hip. "Or, if you really want to be a garden fairy," she began.

* * *

The sun was up, though it was a cloudy day. Cheese the mouse's nose twitched. A sprinting thistle ran through the grass, followed by another. Cheese ran away.

* * *

"...capture the sprinting thistles," Tink said as she tightened a knot. "Well, okay, I can do this," she said. She was by a big corral, and she opened the double doors. "Yeah!"

Cheese raced into the corral. "Okay. Ready, Cheese?"

Cheese didn't look ready. He was cowering at the back of the corral.

"Oh, come on. They're just weeds," Tink said as she flew over to the mouse. She sat on its back and Cheese began walking forwards. "Besides, there are only seven or eight at the most, right?" Tink continued.

"Ya!" Tink yelled, but Cheese stopped.

"We can do this," Tinker Bell said. "I know we can do this. What do you say?"

The mouse looked up at Tinker Bell. "Atta boy," she said, patting him. After a deep breath, the mouse walked out of the corral.

Vidia put her arm on the corral. She had a little leaf hanging out of her mouth. "Mm. This aught to be good," she said.

Cheese and Tink went a little farther. The mouse was steadily trotting along when two sprinting thistles raced by.

"Ya!" Tink yelled, and Cheese began chasing the thistles. Tinker Bell pulled out two sticks.

"Hey!" Vidia gasped as Tink chased the thistles.

"Come on, you!" Tink yelled to the thistles. The mouse and fairy duo were still chasing the thistles. "Oh, come on!" Tink yelled. "Just a bit this way!" She hooked the sticks around the sprinting thistles. "It's working! It's working!" Tink yelled. The thistles ran into the corral and Tink shut the gate with her sticks, and then Cheese turned around to catch some more. But Vidia blew them open again with her strong winds. The thistles raced back out.

"Come on!" Tinker Bell yelled, hot on the tails of two more thistles. They raced through neat rows of grass. Then the thistles broke Tink's hooked sticks. She let out a yell of frustration and threw the sticks. She grabbed the back of Cheese's neck and whirled him around. "Wait, wait! Come back! Come back!" she yelled. "Ooh, these things just won't listen!" The thistles swerved. "Come on, Cheese! Go, go, go!"

More thistles ran past Tink. "Okay, definitely more than eight!" Tink cried desperately.

The thistles were running straight toward Vidia. She flew up and out of the way as the thistles stampeded the corral. "Please file into the corral in an orderly manner!" Tink cried frantically as the thistles ran over the corral. Tink and Cheese were chasing behind them. "Wait!" Tink yelled. Cheese stopped as the sprinting thistles raced right into Sunflower Meadow. "Oh, no," Tink breathed. "Come on!" Cheese began running again.

Vidia shuddered. Then she flew away.

Light fairies were herding fireflies into baskets. Iridessa looked up. She heard a rumbling sound. Thistles raced through the flowers as Iridessa screamed. Two fireflies held on to a sunflower for dear life as the thistles ran past. Light fairies had been knocked to the ground.

"Sorry, sorry!" Tink yelled as she came past on Cheese's back. "Excuse me! So sorry!"

"This is the last batch," Rosetta said to another garden fairy as she herded sproutlings. The garden fairy looked over curiously as the sprinting thistles broke through the tall grass.

The garden fairies quickly scooped up sproutlings as the thistles raced through.

"Sorry!" Tink said as Cheese jumped over ladybugs that had been toppled over. Their fresh coats of paint were ruined. A fairy lay on the ground with a paintbrush, dazed.

More thistles ran through, scratching stems.

A multitude of fairies were packing baskets full of fruits and nuts in Springtime Square. Suddenly, the ground began to rumble and thistles raced towards them all. They screamed and flew upwards to escape the hundreds of thistles racing through. One thistle knocked a house made of tiny flowers over.

Tink and Cheese frantically chased the thistles. Suddenly, they stopped short. There was a cloud of dust covering Springtime Square. Cheese slowly walked through the wreck as Tink looked around numbly. Her wings were drooping behind her. Ladybugs with ruined coats of paint wobbled around on their backs. Nuts and berries were strewn about everywhere.

A few fairies who were putting berries and nuts back into baskets stopped to look at Tink. She got off Cheese and stood up, brushing off her dress.

The Minister of Spring brushed his clothing off with a scowl on his face. They glared at Tinker Bell.

"Oh, no," Tink said numbly.

"Tink!" Fawn said, flying over. "What happened?"

"Tinker Bell!" Rosetta said angrily. "What did you think you were doing?"

The rest of her friends flew over to her as she said, "I-I was just, I was just trying to… I-I thought if I could capture the thistles, then-"

"There isn't a garden fairy alive who can control those weeds," Rosetta said, bending down beside Tink. "What were you trying to prove?"

Tinker Bell searched for words. "She's right, Tink, this has all gone too far," Silvermist said.

They looked over as Queen Clarion materialized. "By the Second Star!" she cried, looking at the mess. "All the preparations for spring, how did this-"

Tinker Bell, head hanging and wings drooping, stepped forward. "Queen – Queen Clarion," she said with shame, "It was me. I did it." Her face was sad. "It's all my fault."

"Tinker Bell," the queen said with a kind but disappointed voice.

Tink began to cry. "I – I'm sorry," she said. As the queen looked down sadly, Tink flew away.

The Everblossom was almost open.


	17. Chapter 17

It was night time in Pixie Hollow, and the Queen was speaking with the Ministers.

"I don't think we can fix this in time," the Minister of Spring said. "We might have to cancel spring, or postpone it at the very least."

"What? And put my snowflake fairies back to work?" the Minister of Winter said. "Oh, no."

"We can't, we can't do that," the Minister of Summer protested. "If the snow isn't melted, the seedlings won't grow, the fruit won't ripen in the summer..."

"And in the autumn," the Minister of Autumn continued, "there will be nothing to harvest! Spring must happen on time or the balance of nature will be undone."

"There must be something we can do!" the Minister of Winter said. "Certainly this has happened before."

"It has," the Minister of Spring said, "did you ever hear of the ice age?"

"Settle down, all of you," Queen Clarion said firmly. She turned to Fairy Mary. "Fairy Mary, is it even possible to redo everything in such a short time?"

Fairy Mary looked at her abacus made of leaves, sticks, and stones. "No," she said.

"Oh, no," the Minister of Spring said as the others gasped. "We were so close, and now it's all gone..."

"Who's going to paint our leaves now?" asked the Minister of Summer.

"The apples and pumpkins will never grow," the Minister of Autumn said.

They continued thinking of things sadly as the night went on. Above it all, the pixie dust flowed into the well ever so peacefully. A fairy flew over to the well and knelt down with a sad look on her face. It was Tinker Bell, wings drooping, face sad. She stared into the well.

Terence, the dust-keeper fairy, flew to the tree. He stopped when he saw the sad form. He landed behind her.

"You okay, Tink?" he asked.

Tink quickly dried her eyes. "Oh, um, yeah," she said. "Yeah, I-I-I'm fine. I… just… came hoping to get a free… refill. I'm going away for a while."

"Oh," Terence said, surprised. "How long are you going to be gone?"

"Well," Tink said, "actually, forever."

"Forever?" asked Terence. "Well, in that case, a double scoop!" He poured pixie dust onto her head. "Forever's a pretty long time, so I hear."

Tink's wings lifted. "Thanks, Terence."

"You… know my name?" asked Terence.

"Well, sure," replied Tink. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know," answered Terence. "I'm just a dust-keeper guy." Tink looked up in surprise. "I'm not exactly seen as the most important fairy in Pixie Hollow." He threw his cup into the well with a rope attached.

"Terence, what are you talking about?" asked Tink. "You're probably the most important one there is! Without you, no one would have any magic! Your talent makes you who you are! You should be proud of it! I mean-"

Terence smiled. "I am."

Tink looked at him in surprise. She looked around awkwardly, realizing what she had just said. "I, I, I, um, I'd better get… going." She began to fly away, then looked back. Terence waved at her. Tink waved back, then fluttered away.


	18. Chapter 18

Tink sad at her worktable, thinking. Cheese rubbed her arm, and Tink looked over in surprise. "Oh! Oh. Hey, Cheese." She patted the mouse and sighed. "Be proud of your talent. What talent? I couldn't even get these silly things to work." Her failed inventions from a few days ago still lay on her table. She lay her head down sadly. Then, she saw a small twinkle. She walked over to investigate. There, in a grass basket, were Lost Things!

Tink gasped. "Lost Things." She pulled out a spring and a gear. She pressed the spring against the gear, then put it back. She pulled out the screw. Cheese sniffed it. She put the gear back and pulled out an acorn kettle. Then it dawned on her. "That's it!"

* * *

Fairies were picking up the mess in Springtime Square when the Ministers, Fairy Mary, and Queen Clarion flew in. Fairies looked up curiously.

"Attention everyone," Queen Clarion said with a catch in her voice. Fairies looked up at her. "I'm afraid I have distressing news." She looked down sadly. "There is no way spring can come on time." Fairies looked at each other. "Months of work was lost," the queen continued. "And it will take months for us to restore it all. So when the Everblossom opens tomorrow, I am afraid we will not be going to the mainland for spring."

Fairies looked at each other, distressed.

"Wait!" came a voice. "I know how we can fix everything!"

"Tinker Bell?" Vidia said from behind a ball of flowers.

The Ministers and Fairy Mary looked at Tink, some with disapproval, others with pity. Fairy Mary covered her eyes.

"Tinker Bell," Queen Clarion said firmly, "I don't think this is-"

"Just, hear me out, please," Tink interrupted. She pointed at a fairy. "You!" The animal fairy looked shocked as Tink flew over to her. Ladybugs around her ran away. "How long does it take you to paint a ladybug?" she asked sharply.

"I don't know, ten, fifteen minutes, I guess?" answered the fairy.

Tink flew over to a ladybug. It scrambled to get away as Tink sprayed it with her invention. She turned a lever and black dots flew out. The ladybug shook in fear, then looked at its back and flapped its wings happily. It was red with black dots!

Vidia's eyebrows narrowed as the other fairies looked, surprised, at the ladybug.

Fairy Mary uncovered one eye.

"See!" Tink flew up to the queen and opened a leaf scroll. "We can build more. I can show you how!" she said, turning to the crowd of fairies. "Making paint, gathering seeds, we can do it all in no time! We have to at least try!"

Vidia looked around with a glare. "Wait. Are we really going to listen to her?" she asked the crowd. "She's the reason we're in this mess in the first place!"

"But, but I can fix-" Tink protested.

"Oh, yippee!" Vidia said sarcastically. "Tinker Bell's gonna save us with her dopey little doohickeys!"

Tinker Bell's face began turning red, she was so mad. "What is your problem?" she asked angrily. "Vidia, why do you think you're so much better than me?" Her face was fully red now.

"I am better than you, sweetie, I didn't ruin spring," Vidia retorted.

"At least now I'm trying to help," Tink replied. "Have you ever helped anyone besides yourself?"

"Well, I tried to help you," Vidia came back at her. "Maybe I should have told you to capture the hawk instead of the thistles!" Her face went white. Tink's face went back to its normal color. Fairy Mary uncovered her eyes.

Queen Clarion's eyebrows rose, and she flew over to Vidia. "Perhaps Tinker Bell was not the only one responsible," she said to Vidia.

Vidia hid her hands behind her back, a feigned smile on her face.

"It seems to me that your fast-flying talent is well suited to chasing down each and every one of the thistles," Queen Clarion said.

"Me?" Vidia protested.

"Yes," Queen Clarion responded. "And I expect them all to be returned to Needlepoint Meadow as soon as possible."

"But… but that could take forever," Vidia pleaded.

"Then I suggest you get started," Queen Clarion said.

A frog croaked.

Vidia's wings began flapping rapidly. She grumbled and flew off.

Queen Clarion looked down, then at Tink. "Now, Tinker Bell, are you sure you can do this?"

Tink unrolled her scroll. "Yes," she replied. "Because I'm a tinker. It's who I am."

Fairy Mary's face broke into a smile.

"And tinkers fix things," Tinker Bell said. "But I can't do it alone." She looked at Clank and Bobble. They flew up to Tink. "Command us, Miss Bell!" they said, saluting her.

"I'll help," Silvermist said, flying up to Tink's side.

"Show us how, Tink," Fawn put in.

"I'll help you," Rosetta said,

"Me too," Iridessa agreed.

"Okay, um, gather up all the twigs you can," Tink said. "All different sizes. And, um, and tree sap. We need lots of that. But most importantly, we need to find Lost Things."


	19. Chapter 19

Fairies flew everywhere, looking for Lost Things. They laid them down in front of Tinker Bell.

"Okay, what have you got?" asked Tinker Bell.

"How about this?" a fairy asked, holding up a fork.

"Will this do?" another fairy, pointing to a harmonica, asked.

"Can you use this fuzzy thing, Miss Bell," asked Clank, holding a paintbrush.

"Oh, yeah!" agreed Tink.

Clank and Bobble carried it away, arguing over if it was fuzzy or not.

Tink crafted and created, the other fairies standing around her. "Twig," she said, and a fairy handed her one. "Hammer," she said, and it was handed to her too. "Magnification, please," she asked, and someone lowered a magnifying glass. "Thank you." She twisted a gear. "And that's how you do it!"

Fairies pushed springs into an invention.

"Now what do you suppose this-?" wondered Bobble, looking at a perfume bottle. Clank came up and picked up the bulb atomizer.

Bobble put his mouth to the nozzle and blew into it, creating a sound.

Clank squeezed the atomizer, blowing perfume into Bobble's mouth. He shot backwards and coughed. Clank dropped the atomizer and flew over to Bobble. "You smell funny!" said Clank, picking up his friend. Then he looked up. "Oh!" he said as he saw a Lost Thing. "I saw it first!"

"I bumped into it," Bobble said.

"Just tie this over here," Tink said, attaching the bulb atomizer to the thumb of a glove which had a harmonica tied to the bottom. "So, you just squeeze this..." She squeezed the bulb atomizer. "Then let it go..." She let go, and the fingers of the glove, all with a hole at the top, sucked in nuts. The nuts flew out of the harmonica with a musical sound. The fairies watched in amazement. "And..." Tink continued. "See? Simple."

Next, Tink rolled a gear around to the paintbrush, which was set on four twigs to hold it up. It had buckets attached to it underneath. She put the gear onto the end. "Now, just put the berries in and we'll have plenty of paint in no time!" she said as fairies put berries into buckets. The buckets had crushing mechanisms attached to them with a gear. When Tink turned the paintbrush, it crushed the berries, making paint. A fairy took a bucket of paint out. Fairy Mary smiled and moved a pebble on her abacus.

Silvermist and Fawn flew over, each holding one of Tink's paint sprayers, and Fawn sprayed red paint on a line of ladybugs. Sil, behind her, sprayed out black dots onto the freshly-painted ladybugs. Fairy Mary moved another pebble.

Tink and a few other fairies flew over a field full of nuts, Tink holding the glove mechanism. She squeezed the atomizer a bunch of times, and the nuts flew out into baskets fairies were toting behind. The fairies set the full basket down next to a bunch of full baskets. Fairies put down more bowls of paint. Iridessa set a rainbow tube on a pyramid of rainbow tubes. Fairy Mary moved another pebble of her abacus.

Fairies poured nuts and berries into giant baskets that were on top of doves. Fairy Mary moved another pebble and smiled.

"Six, seven..." counted Rosetta as she herded sproutlings up a ramp into a basket on a dove. "And eight!"

Fairy Mary moved another pebble. She gasped happily.

Ladybugs flew into a basket on a dove. One, bigger than the rest, couldn't fit through the flap. Another ladybug hit it and it went in.

Fairy Mary moved the last pebble. She made a cry of delight and hugged her abacus.

It was dawn. The Everblossom had bloomed.


	20. Chapter 20

The Ministers flew down to Springtime Square, Queen Clarion, in streams of pure pixie dust, following. The streams collided and she appeared. They flew down the pathway. Many fairies stood to the side of the path, and on the other side, the doves with baskets stood.

Tinker Bell, Silvermist, Fawn, Rosetta, and Iridessa stood at the end of the path.

Fairies hopped with delight and cheered as the Ministers and Queen Clarion stopped. Queen Clarion turned to Tink. "You did it, Tinker Bell," she said. "You saved spring."

Tink smiled. "We all did it," she said.

"Queen Clarion," Silvermist said. "Can't Tink come with us to the mainland?"

"Yeah, she's done so much for everyone," Fawn continued, putting her arm around Tink.

"No, no, you guys," Tink said, "really! I don't need to go."

"Buttercup, it's what you wanted!" Rosetta said.

"It's okay," Tink replied. "My work is here. And I still have so much to do! I-"

"Not here, you don't!" Fairy Mary cried.

"I-" Tink protested.

Fairy Mary made a sound to Tink, then turned around and whistled. There were Clank and Bobble, walking beside Cheese, who was pulling a cart with the music box!

"Surprise, Miss Bell!" Bobble said.

"We found your… tiny… dancer!" Clank said.

Tink smiled and flew forward.

"Actually, I've run across this myself, many seasons ago," Fairy Mary said. Clank and Bobble lowered it to the ground as Fairy Mary said, "I hadn't got a clue what it was or how to fix it!" She looked over at Tink. "But you did, Tinker Bell. You are quite a rare talent indeed." Tink smiled as Fairy Mary said, "And I imagine, there's a little girl out there who's missing this."

"Well, what do you mean?" asked Tink. "How-"

"I think that perhaps a certain tinker fairy might have a job to do after all," Fairy Mary said. "On the mainland."

"You mean I-!" Tink exclaimed as Queen Clarion flew over. Tinker Bell clasped her hands together and made a cry of delight.

Her friends cheered and flew over to her. They formed a circle around her and hugged her.

"We can help, Miss Bell," Clank and Bobble said. "I'm strong," added Bobble.

Fairy Mary and Queen Clarion looked at each other with a smile.

"Come on, we gotta go by now," Tink's friends said. Tink held back and flew over to Queen Clarion. "Thank you, Your Highness," she said. "But, but how will I find who it belongs to?"

"You'll know," Queen Clarion said. "Now go!"

Tink flew away, then suddenly turned around and hugged Fairy Mary.

"Oh, good heavens!" Fairy Mary cried as Tink hugged her.

"Thank you," whispered Tinker Bell.

Fairy Mary smiled and put her arms around Tink. After a few seconds, Tinker Bell flew back.

"Tink!" Terence's voice came. He flew up to her. "Hey. Something to help you on the mainland." He handed her a leaf pouch of pixie dust. Tink took it. "Oh, Terence. That's so sweet!" she said. She took a few steps backwards, then flew off.

"Good luck, Tink," Terence said.

* * *

"To the air, fairies, to the air!" cried the Minister of Spring. "The mainland awaits!" The doves took off, and Tink looked up in awe.

Doves flew across the air.

Fairies flew up with delight. Tink and her friends took off with smiles on their faces. Clank and Bobble carried the ballerina music box into the air. Queen Clarion, who saw Bobble struggling to hold it up, threw a ball of pixie dust at him. It hit him and he giggled with delight.


	21. Chapter 21

_Come away with me now to the sky, up over the hills and the sea. Far beyond where our memories lie to a place where I'm free to be me. Oh gather ye now one and all, no matter what all ye may do. Let the stars fill your soul when the moon cradles all, so to yourself be true. The blanket of snow is gone. Each flower waits for the sun. And the whispering tears of the rain holds promise for everyone. Then come away with me friends, no matter where you call your home. With a light in our hearts, we will never part. Deep in the forest we go. The creatures are all fast asleep. With a kiss and a wink we will waken their souls while always their safety we'll keep. And then, then we'll dance through the night till the sunbeams sparkle at dawn. And away we will go like last winter's snow, soon our work will be done. Oh gather ye now one and all, no matter what all ye may do. Let the stars fill your soul when the moon cradles all. So to yourself be true. Oh gather yo now one and all, no matter what all ye may do. Let the stars fill your soul when the moon cradles all. So to yourself be true. So to yourself be true..._

* * *

The Minister of Spring, riding on a dove, flew up into the clouds, the other doves and fairies following. Tink, flying next to Clank and Bobble, went over to the Minister of Spring and bowed as he put his hand over his heart. He turned his dove, and the group of fairies turned with him. They flew down out of the clouds and came out over the sea. Tink giggled with delight as she flew out over the water. She spun up into the air to follow the fairies, screaming with delight. They flew toward the moon for a bit, then dove down around the clouds. There was the mainland!

It was nighttime on the mainland as the fairies flew in. Tink heard a clock bong, and they flew around Big Ben. Tink stood on the music box as Clank and Bobble held it, flying closer to earth.

"Fairies, to the north!" the Minister of Spring called. A group of fairies flew northwards. "Fairies, to the south!" he called. Another group of fairies flew southward. "To the east and west!" he called. Two groups of fairies flew eastward and westward.

A small group of fairies flew into a snow-covered park. The sun had just risen. A light fairy pulled a sunbeam to a branch sticking out of the snow. The snow on the branch melted, and the fairy flew under it.

Iridessa, along with many other light fairies, pulled a big sunbeam over to a lake. Light fairies on the ice skated outward from the lake, pulling the light with them. The ice melted.

Fawn walked into a hole at the bottom of a tree. "Wake up, sleepyheads!" she called, knocking on the tree. She pushed a yawning squirrel out of the tree. She rubbed her nose against its nose.

Clank and Bobble flew to icicles hanging on a tree branch. They broke them with their hammers. A light fairy flew through and broke off the middle one.

Tink sat on a snow-covered mushroom as a light fairy bent light to melt snow from mushrooms nearby. She flew over to Tink's mushroom, then put her hands on her hips. Tink looked around, at the mushroom, then laughed and flew upwards, her knees still bent. The light fairy melted the snow, and Tink sat back down.

Fairies opened baskets with ladybugs, and the ladybugs flew out.

Rosetta led sproutlings to a grassy place, and they all dug into the ground. Tink leaned on the edge of her mushroom to watch everything that was going on. She looked up. Water fairies flew down to the lake and created a fountain. Water flew onto where Rosetta had planted the sproutlings, and flowers grew quickly.

More garden fairies painted open flowers. Other garden fairies flew to the trees, growing flowers on them instantly. Tink looked around excitedly as flowers grew before her eyes. Garden fairies flew over a grassy field, growing flowers quickly. Tink looked around with wonder, then smiled. The park was bursting with life, and a rainbow was overhead. Tink sat on the top of a park bench, and her friends flew over to join her one by one.

Bobble whistled, and Tink looked down at him and Clank by the music box. She flew down to them and took out the pouch of pixie dust that Terence had given her. She sprinkled it onto the music box, and it floated upwards. Tink took its arm and flew off into the sky. Her friends waved as she flew into the city. She looked around, a bit confused, as she wondered which house to go to. She flew off and looked into one window, then two more. She flew to a different house and checked windows. She flew around the city, looking in to different windows. She flew to the last one on a row of houses and flew away, then gasped and flew back. She flew to the second window and looked in. She set the music box on the windowsill. All the pixie dust fell off. She flew up to the window and rubbed off the frost to look in.

Inside the room was a dollhouse, some toys, and pictures a child had colored. There was a bed and a door open a crack. She gasped as she looked around the beautiful room.

Suddenly, a little girl opened the door and turned on the light. Tink quickly checked the music box, then knocked on the window and flew away. She hid behind a chimney to watch as the girl walked to the window. She opened the window and gasped.

The little girl was wearing a pretty blue dress. She had pretty brown hair tied back in a bun and bright blue eyes. She looked to be maybe six or seven. She took the music box carefully off the windowsill.

Tink peeked out from behind the chimney. The girl took a key on a necklace around her neck out of her dress and turned it in the lock in the music box. Tink watched, amazed, as she cranked the music box and it made a beautiful melody. The little girl smiled and giggled as it played. She closed her eyes, then turned around. "Mummy! Guess what! Guess what!"

"Yes, Wendy?" her mother called back. "What is it, darling?"

Tink twirled around with happiness and flew around the city happily.

Tink flew with her friends around Big Ben, then down through the city.

* * *

 _A fairy'_ s _work is much more than it first would appear. Suppose your broken clock ticks, though it hasn't in a year. Per chance, you found a toy you lost, or jingling bells you hear. It all means that one very special fairy might be near._


End file.
